1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus and a method for automatically preparing lengths of wire to be processed in a cable harness making machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In automatic harness making machines, it is known to provide a linear conveyor on which a plurality of grippers are transported for moving electrical wires to various wire processing stations, such as wire selection and cutting devices, terminal crimping stations, and connectors loading stations. A complex harness comprising a plurality of electrical wires terminated to various connectors can thus be manufactured in an automated manner.
Wires are typically held at both ends in adjacent conveyor grippers such that the wires form U-shaped loops during transport. A first processing station in a harness making machine is usually a wire selector and cutting station, where a wire to be processed is selected from a long roll of wire. The selected wire is held at one end during feeding of a specified length of wire, subsequently held at the other end, cut, and the resulting loop of wire moved by the selector into respective adjacent conveyor grippers for transport to further processing stations. The selection and cutting to length of wires often requires a longer cycle time than other harness making steps, such as termination of wires to contacts, thereby slowing the whole harness making procedure.